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Encinitas' favorite South American bistro expands further south
Chef Monica Szepesy’s South American bistro in Encinitas has long been one of the city’s most beloved holes in the wall. From Q’ero‘s Kurobuta pork in Peruvian aji chile sauce to beef short ribs marinated in chichas de jora (corn beer) to chicken hearts on a stick, Szepesy and her risk-taking South American dishes are fixtures at events boasting San Diego’s top chefs. The only problem with her flagship? Elbow jousting. Compulsory eavesdropping. The utter lack of space. That’ll change later this year when Q’ero opens its new spot in Cardiff-by-the-Sea. Szepesy is taking over the former Hunan Manor—a 2,525 square-foot space at 815 Birmingham Drive. Make no mistake. This is a tough location. The only foot traffic will be people buying road sodas at Chevron, which blocks the restaurant from street view. But we’re confident Szepesy could open a space at 815 Behind the Bushes and Trees and her people would find it. The chef, currently cooking at a festival in Peru, says there’s a lot of work to do on the interior. But she’s aiming to open Casa Q’ero in November.
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INCOMING: Casa Q’ero
The team behind The Roxy launches Anigma, a hidden cocktail bar with small bites
If your dopamine rush comes from stepping into an experiential esoteric escape that also serves cocktails, then the newly-opened Anigma might just be up your alley. Brought to life by the owners of The Roxy Encinitas and Roxy on Broadway in Denver, Encinitas’ new hidden cocktail lounge spirals around the idea that nothing is quite as it seems. Stepping into the moody 47-seat space, which is tucked behind the retail store Archive, should feel like an out-of-this-world experience, says Paula Vrakas, one of the four partners behind Anigma.
Vrakas worked with architecture and design firm Tecture—which designed restaurants like Lucien, Haven at Fox Point Farms, and Kettner Exchange—to concoct an environment that begins when guests walk through the secret portal into a world of velvety folklore and myth. No two experiences will be identical, she promises.
“The concept itself is a changing concept, and so this sort of mysticism, the occult, or these dark arts, they’re ever-changing within themselves,” she explains. “So we can lean in…. at any given moment without completely changing the entire concept. That’s actually what we intend to do.”
If this sounds very abstract, that’s okay. Let’s center ourselves around the cocktails, which are very real and created in part by bar lead Sam Reinke.
Initially, there will be around 16 cocktails (and a few mocktails) in three sections. “Archive” features traditional drinks like Old Fashioneds and Manhattans, while “Myth & Memory” offers rotating cocktails inspired by Southern California folklore, like the monster of Proctor Valley Road or the legend of Charles “The Rainmaker” Hatfield.
But the menu starts with “Sigils,” four drinks that break down Anigma’s logo into its individual features: the Celtic Knot, the tria prima (the Latin philosophy of three foundational elements of alchemy being salt, sulfur, and mercury), the All-Seeing Eye of Providence, and the Alchemist’s Stone. The ingredients in each reference key aspects of each concept; for example, the Alchemist’s Stone (sometimes called the Philosopher’s Stone) is made with red powder to mimic the same flaming hue of the legendary item. The Eye of Providence includes carrot juice, an ingredient rich in beta-carotene that also happens to be excellent for eye health.
The fifth drink, called “Anigma” and based on the logo as a whole, will never be listed. “But if you ask, you can find out,” promises Vrakas.
Since the concept is meant to be cocktail-forward, only a few small bites will be available, like chocolate-covered strawberries and wasabi pea pub mix. “It’s fancy snacks,” laughs Vrakas. But considering how Encinitas’ dining options have upped their game as of late, she says focusing on providing a high-end cocktail experience will fill a void in the area not yet overwhelmed with similar choices. Once inside, it’s an intimate space, with seating for 47 guests over 800-square-feet lit by candles and cocooned with dark velvet curtains sewn by Vrakas’ mother.
For now, Anigma is reservation-only, but will likely introduce opportunities for walk-ins in the future. In the meantime, expect surreality and perhaps a bit of discombobulation, says Vrakas. “It’s just meant to [feel] like, ‘Wait, where was I? Where was that? And how do I get back?’”
Anigma opens May 28 at 517 S. Coast Hwy 101 in Encinitas. Hours are Wednesday, 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Thursday, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday 5 p.m. to 10:30 pm; and Saturday 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.. Closed Sunday–Tuesday.
Call it the Michelin effect—after earning Michelin recognition in December, Cloak & Petal in Little Italy is ready to expand its Japanese-inspired offerings by launching a coffee shop-slash-cafe experience this August.
Called Black Mizu Café, the 1,000-square-foot space situated within Cloak & Petal will serve Torque Coffee and Compa Coffee beans and Asa Bakery pastries, as well as Japanese comfort food dishes like a tamago sandwich, bánh mì panini, edamame hummus toast, and various parfaits. Signature drinks include specialties like a honey yuzu sparkling matcha, cherry blossom latte, white miso caramel latte, and a cardamom cinnamon latte. Next spring, Black Mizu will also launch a Pacific Rim-inspired brunch menu by executive chef Robert Cassidy.
With space for 25 to 30 guests, the Japanese-meets-Scandinavian minimalist design will also be able to accommodate a private dining space for Cloak & Petal during non-café hours. Managing partner Cesar Vallin anticipates the initial hours of operation will be daily from 6:30 or 7 a.m. through around 2 p.m., with extended hours on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays until approximately 9 p.m. It’s not a pop-up, per se, but it’s certainly a creative way to make the most of the restaurant’s off-hours floor space.
Listen Now: The Latest in San Diego’s Food and Drink Scene
Have breaking news, exciting scoops, or great stories about new San Diego restaurants or the city’s food scene? Send your pitches to [email protected].
Beth Demmon is an award-winning writer and podcaster whose work regularly appears in national outlets and San Diego Magazine. Her first book, The Beer Lover's Guide to Cider, is now available. Find out more on bethdemmon.com.
The elevated, yet straightforward seafood restaurant will open behind Coast Thai-Way later this fall
The greater Encinitas area is on a roll. From newcomers like Chick & Hawk, Necessity Coffee, and Isola Pizza Bar to institutions like the Michelin-rated Bib Gourmand Atelier Manna and “the most Leucadia restaurant in Leucadia,” Valentina, 92024 more than holds its own against other culinary hotspots around San Diego.
Later this year, Marbella Oyster Bar will be added to that roster when it opens in the space that formerly housed Peace Pies, just behind Coast Thai-Way.
Marbella is the first restaurant for owners—chef Armando Martin del Campo and Jhonathan Velazquez. Martin del Campo went to culinary school in Mexico before working his way through kitchens in Mexico and the US. His vision for the restaurant is simple food prepared elegantly and served without pretension.
Oysters, of course—but also simple seafood dishes prepared with Japanese, French, and a touch of Mexican techniques. Ceviches won’t be too spicy, Martin del Campo says with a slight laugh. There will probably be at least one steak dish, thanks to his 13-plus years of exporting beef over the border.
Expect Spanish bomba rice, tacos made with non-GMO corn tortillas, crudo, sashimi, salads, and ceviches. For the maximum freshness of seafood, Martin del Campo says they plan to use the ikejime technique. The traditional Japanese method isn’t seen too often in local restaurants, because it’s not easy to master and it takes more work—but it’s widely considered one of the most humane ways to process and prepare fish. In ikejime, a spike is driven into the fish’s spinal cord, killing it instantly. The method reduces stress in the fish, which reduces the release of lactic acid (which harms texture and flavor); it prevents muscle spasms an rigor mortis (also bad for texture) and preserves ATP (adenosine triphosphate, a naturally occurring building block of umami).
lunch and dinner will feature a Euro-centric wine list sprinkled with a few US and Mexico options. Decor of the indoor-outdoor space will be minimalist, seating about 30 people in shades of beige, white, gray, and brown. “In San Sebastian, you go into all these [seafood] places… it’s like, yeah, they’re pretty, but it’s about just the food,” says Martin del Campo.
There will be an open-seating seafood bar with front-row seating for the seafood prep. “In Mexico, you go to a taco stand and you just eat it in the bar by yourself and you just move,” he explains.
Del Campo hopes Marbella is the first of several. “I want to create a restaurant group,” he says, perhaps expanding to a more fine dining approach in the future.
“It took me so many years to have my kitchen in San Diego, up north in Encinitas,” Martin del Campo explains. “I feel more prepared and blessed and experienced and mature in other ways… the timing was just perfect.”
Marbella Oyster Bar will open in August or September 2026 at 133 Daphne Street in Encinitas.
A shadow is looming over National Burger Day on May 28. Ground beef prices hit record highs this year, up 77 percent since January 2020 and double what they were in 2013. The Washington Post reports that the cost of beef brisket is up 28 percent from last year, leading to menu price increases and even restaurant closures across the barbecue belt of Texas. San Diego burger joints are feeling the beef-lation as well, and with summer burger season just around the corner, the outlook feels as gloomy as the May Gray skies. So if you notice that the price of your favorite burger has gone up a couple of bucks, be kind—it’s an unavoidable reality of today’s economy, and one the whole industry is facing together.
Listen Now: The Latest in San Diego’s Food and Drink Scene
Beth Demmon is an award-winning writer and podcaster whose work regularly appears in national outlets and San Diego Magazine. Her first book, The Beer Lover's Guide to Cider, is now available. Find out more on bethdemmon.com.
The Neapolitan pizza spot will bring its nonna-inspired wood-burned pies to the beachside town this April
The maxim is “everything in moderation,” but I make an exception for pizza joints, especially when they’re run by an Italian native known for his mastery of wood-fired Neapolitan pizza. Later this month, Encinitas will be the home of Isola Pizza Bar’s third location when it opens at 569 South Coast Highway 101.
Chef/owner Massimo Tenino hails from the Liguria and Piedmont regions in northwestern Italy, where his nonna taught him the art of cooking and set him and his brother Paolo Carlo down similar tracks (him in the kitchen, his brother as a winemaker for Pietro Rinaldi Winery in Alba, Piedmont). He opened the first Isola in Little Italy in 2012, followed by La Jolla in 2016, so it hasn’t been a rapid-fire expansion plan—but rushing has never really been the Italian way.
Like the other Isolas, food will center around the wood-fired oven. It’s used for everything from pizza to roasting vegetables, firing seafood, finishing meat, calzones, and goes along with housemade items like cheese, from-scratch pasta and sauces. As an added brother bonus, the wine program features Pietro Rinaldi wines produced exclusively to pair with Isola’s menu. Along with core menu items, Tenino says he plans to introduce some location-specific specials, like a seafood risotto, gnocchi pasta with eggplant and smoked mozzarella, and housemade ravioli with ricotta and spinach.
Pizza is still the star of the show, made with double-zero flour imported from Naples, which gives the dough the ability to stretch without tearing for that signature Neapolitan airiness. It’s fermented for 48 hours to develop a deeper flavor and allow for a better gluten structure, then fired at 900 degrees in the fiery oven for char and chew. Then it’s topped with things like smoked mozzarella, parma prosciutto, or chile calabrese.
Eventually, Tenino says the Isola team plans to open a guest house and cooking school in the Piedmont wine region of Italy, to teach guests how to prepare local dishes and learn about the local wine scene. Whenever this pizza-wine pilgrimage from San Diego to Italy happens, I humbly volunteer as tribute.
Isola Pizza Bar will open at 569 South Coast Highway 101 on April 30, 2026.
At one point or another, every regular at every bar at least wonders what it would be like to run the place. But for Fonda and Todd Erwin and Kayla Kersey, they don’t have to wonder anymore. The former regulars at GoodBar are now running the show at the Point Loma watering hole.
Both born and raised in Point Loma, they raised their family in Temecula until 2017 when they decided to come home—landing about two minutes away from GoodBar. Needless to say, they were frequent visitors, Fonda laughs. Buying a bar wasn’t exactly part of their retirement plan, especially after the pandemic. But one night, she and Kersey discussed the possibility of buying a place (Fonda’s an event planner, and Kersey has bar and hospitality experience).
They don’t plan on making many changes—especially not the Philly cheesesteaks, Fonda promises. They’ll start showing more Padres games as well as Phillies and Eagles games, and maybe expand the hours. But for the most part, the trio is enjoying the YOLO lifestyle of non-retirement. “I don’t have any reason to be sitting at home,” says Fonda. “This was never in the plan, ever… [but] it is an absolute perfect fit.”
Listen Now: The Latest in San Diego’s Food and Drink Scene
Have breaking news, exciting scoops, or great stories about new San Diego restaurants or the city’s food scene? Send your pitches to [email protected].
Beth Demmon is an award-winning writer and podcaster whose work regularly appears in national outlets and San Diego Magazine. Her first book, The Beer Lover's Guide to Cider, is now available. Find out more on bethdemmon.com.
The annual event honors middle market companies creating jobs, scaling up, and investing in the region
San Diego is known for its startup culture and innovation economy, but what happens when the company moves beyond its early-stage years? The San Diego Business Impact Awards aim to answer that question, spotlighting the middle market businesses helping drive the region’s economy.
Hosted by San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation (EDC) and JPMorganChase, the second annual awards celebration takes place on Thursday, July 23, from 4:30 to 7:00 p.m. at Scripps Research Auditorium. More than 200 executives, entrepreneurs, and business leaders are expected to attend the networking and cocktail event honoring some of San Diego County’s fastest-growing companies.
Businesses headquartered in San Diego County that have operated for at least two years are encouraged to submit their nomination by Thursday, June 18 at 4 p.m. Companies across industries—from technology and life sciences to tourism and consumer products, as well as pre-revenue startups—are eligible for recognition.
For EDC President and CEO Mark Cafferty, the event is as much about building connections as celebrating success. “We’ve had a longtime partnership with JPMorganChase; their work aligns with our efforts to support underserved communities and drive talent development,” says Cafferty. “And the networking was invaluable last year. I’m still in touch with people I met at last year’s awards.”
EDC is an independently-funded nonprofit that works directly with San Diego companies to help them grow the local economy, make the region as a whole more competitive, and attract and retain top-tier talent with quality jobs. Through EDC, companies can get help starting or expanding their business with support for things like site selection, permit navigation, and regulatory guidance, plus connections to local resources and potential business collaborators.
The San Diego Business Impact Awards began as an idea with one of EDC’s longtime strategic partners, JPMorganChase. The two organizations share a commitment to San Diego and are dedicated to bolstering middle market businesses.
“We’re blessed with a robust innovation economy and startup community,” says Aaron Ryan, San Diego Region Manager for JPMorgan’s Commercial and Investment Bank and vice chair of the firm’s’ San Diego Market Leadership Team. “But one of the segments of the business community we felt was overlooked was emerging middle market companies—the businesses that are no longer small but not yet large.”
Ryan says supporting those companies is critical as they scale and decide where to invest, hire, and grow.
San Diego’s high cost of living remains one of the region’s biggest business challenges, making talent recruitment and retention increasingly competitive. But local leaders point to the region’s quality of life, climate, and collaborative business community as advantages that continue to attract employers and workers.
“In order to support thriving households, there has to be enough high-quality jobs for people to be able to afford to live here,” Cafferty says. “Once a company grows and excels past that middle market point in their growth cycle, they become much more likely to pay higher wages and compete globally.”
Both Cafferty and Ryan proudly tout the unique collaboration that exists among San Diego County businesses. Bringing together top universities producing high-quality talent, cutting-edge research institutions, a robust military and defense presence, leading ocean science and environmental organizations, and a binational, cross-border identity creates a distinct business ecosystem that defines and strengthens the San Diego region.
Last year’s San Diego Business Impact Awards celebrated nearly 60 honorees from 49 industries, representing a total of 8,232 jobs across eight sectors, including: software and technology, healthcare and life sciences, consumer goods, professional services, finance, construction and manufacturing, defense, and hospitality and tourism. On average, honoree companies doubled their revenues over the previous year, employed more than 145 San Diegans each, and offered an average annual compensation of $192,415.
Top honorees included defense contractor Innoflight, environmental consulting firm Bancroft Construction Services, life sciences startup Element Biosciences, defense technology contractor GALT Aerospace, organic grocery store chain Jimbo’s, and biopharmaceutical company LENZ Therapeutics. During the event, Innoflight Founder and CEO Jeff Janicik held a fireside chat offering his insights on investing in the community and embracing San Diego culture.
This year, organizers hope to continue highlighting the middle market players driving economic impact across the region. Nominations are now open through June 18 at 4 p.m. Get your tickets to the San Diego Business Impact Awards celebration to enjoy drinks by Snake Oil Cocktail Co., light bites, live music, and networking.
The North County brewery and taco stand will open a third location this summer in Encinitas
Despite some preemptive eulogizing, the latest Brewers Association statistics estimate that though craft beer’s national volume is down 5 percent, it’s still a $72.5 billion industry. It ain’t going anywhere; just normalizing.
In San Diego, it seems like the ones who are chugging mightily along are the ones who offer more than just beer. Craft Coast, for instance. The brewery and taco stand opened its first brewpub in Oceanside in August 2020 and its second in San Marcos in April 2024. Both locations feature their own beer and Baja-style tacos, mulitas, and bowls.
Blake Masoner, one of the three co-founders with Lars Erickson and Brian Gillen, says he and his partners built a business plan on the premise of caring equally about the quality of the beer as the tacos. Food is no longer an option for a fledgling brewery’s survival. It’s essential.
“The days of business park breweries are limited, I think,” he says, noting they intentionally keep it simple.“In-N-Out doesn’t give everything to everybody for a reason, because they’re good at what they’re good at.”
His time at Pizza Port’s brewery was inspiration—a business model that survived on craft beer and pizza since the ’80s.
Craft Coast has had a successful five years in North County, where all three founders are lifelong locals. After one failed attempt to snag a spot in Encinitas in 2021 (followed by a successful bid in late 2023), they’ll open its first spot in the neighborhood this summer at 476 S. Coast Highway 101 in the former Filiberto’s space where the owners spent many late nights filling up on tacos.
The roughly 3,000-square-foot indoor and outdoor space (located directly underneath the Encinitas arch) will open seven days a week for lunch and dinner, with possible late-night hours on weekends. The dozen or so taps will include Craft Coast’s five core beers (Agua Baja Mexican lager, Shootz Mahalo hazy IPA, Old West American IPA, XPA extra pale ale, and Sunset Market prickly pear sour with a rotating fruit) along with other collaborations and seasonals, plus canned and bottled non-alcoholic options and a selection of recently released to-go cans.
Expect the same food menu as the first two locations, plus a fully built-in salsa bar (my literal dream) designed by Ralitsa Kombakis of Studio Rallou. If the name sounds familiar, she also designed the soon-to-open À L’ouest French brasserie by chef Brad Wise (Trust Restaurant Group) in North Park.
Masoner says while the team likes to grow slowly, they’re committed to prioritizing their home zone of North County. If (and when) they open another brewpub, this is where they hope to stay.
“We’ve spent a lot of time living in Encinitas,” he says. “We always said if this building ever comes up, we should get it and do something. Then we established Craft Coast and here we are, five-and-a-half years later.”
Craft Coast opens this summer at 476 S. Coast Highway 101 in Encinitas.
When Matteo (somewhat suddenly) closed in South Park in December, it already had a succession plan in place. Angela Catania, who owns nearby Carbon Angela’s Kitchen, took the keys and announced Bedda in January. Bedda, which means “beautiful” in Sicilian, will not be an Italian restaurant—so don’t expect pizza or pasta, but do expect all-day dining, plus a deli and market and nighttime bar with cocktails and wine. Personally, I’m always glad when an uber-visible corner restaurant doesn’t stay empty for too long. I’m already counting down to its opening in mid-February.
Beth Demmon is an award-winning writer and podcaster whose work regularly appears in national outlets and San Diego Magazine. Her first book, The Beer Lover's Guide to Cider, is now available. Find out more on bethdemmon.com.
The Huntington Beach–born bar and grill from brothers Travis and Andrew Brummett takes over a longtime North County space
When people across the world dream of California, it’s gotta be Encinitas they see in their mind’s eye. It’s the quintessential beach town—skate shops, surf breaks, a classic Southern California downtown area that’s home to the county’s oldest Spanish Colonial Revival–style theater (La Paloma), and about a billion brunch spots where you can watch herds of smiling families on e-bikes.
Needless to say, Travis Brummett totally gets why his brother and business partner Andrew is moving there. It’s to put down some new family roots, yes, but it’s also to run the second location of their family restaurant The Brant this summer.
Brummett has worked in restaurants since he was 19 in Huntington Beach, moving from busboy to server, bartender, management, director of operations, and eventually wrote a business plan for The Brant. He opened the coastal California bar and grill opened in his hometown in 2023, serving comfort food like pretzel bites, clams in white wine, spicy tuna tartare tacos, a raspberry and beet salad, fried chicken sandwich, a “Brant” Kobe beef burger, bone-in ribeye, fresh halibut, and chocolate lava cake.
The Brant’s designed as an approachable neighborhood joint, he explains, and includes a full bar with craft cocktails, plus local and domestic beers.
Travis and Drew had been looking specifically in San Diego for their next venue and call the former Beachside Bar and Grill site in the heart of Encinitas their dream location. They completely rebuilt the space (the location needed a restart) with a 1,500-square-foot rooftop bar and inside dining space that’s far bigger than their first spot, which will allow them to expand their menu and experiment.
“We really want to focus on being a part of the local community in Encinitas,” says Brummett. “We know that there’s a rich culture there, and [we] really want to cater to the locals and kind of bring the family neighborhood restaurant vibe to Coast Highway.”
Tapping into that Encinitas community through food is a trending idea. Over the past few years, the idyllic coastal town has seen an explosion of new eateries: Chick & Hawk, Necessity Coffee, Pastaria Vivi, and Rosemarie’s Buns & Brews, to name a few.
“It’s more than just opening a restaurant,” he promises. “It is about joining a community.”
The Brant will open at 806 Coast Highway 101 in late summer 2026 for lunch and dinner service, plus weekend brunch.
The stars have spoken—boba is in your future. Zodiac Boba, a specialty drinks shop based on astrological signs and cosmic vibes, will open at 2015 Garnet Avenue, Suite 101 this February. Owner Angeline Tingzon says every sign will have a signature drink (as a Taurus, mine is a Taro-licious brown sugar tea with white foam), plus she’ll serve smoothies, coffee, and a few desserts like Belgian waffles along with the boba tea menu.
Tingzon says she wants to provide a place for people to relax and find a place for a pick-me-up. She plans to add an affirmation box to the ordering counter to help lift people’s spirits, and weekend tarot readings for an extra metaphysical touch. It shouldn’t be too hard—she’s already tapping into the local beach energy. “I really love the vibes here,” she says. “I think it’ll do well.”
Listen Now: The Latest in San Diego’s Food and Drink Scene
Have breaking news, exciting scoops, or great stories about new San Diego restaurants or the city’s food scene? Send your pitches to [email protected].
Beth Demmon is an award-winning writer and podcaster whose work regularly appears in national outlets and San Diego Magazine. Her first book, The Beer Lover's Guide to Cider, is now available. Find out more on bethdemmon.com.
Scripps study shows that some patients may be able to taper their dose and maintain results
While glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agents have been used to treat Type 2 diabetes for more than 20 years, their recent emergence as weight-loss wonder drugs marked a new frontier in medicine. But their effectiveness has left some patients wondering what to do once they’ve reached their goal. Stopping the medication could mean regaining some, if not all, of the weight. A Scripps Clinic internal medicine physician recently conducted a small study of whether GLP-1 patients who had reached their goal weight could maintain that weight by taking their regularly prescribed injection every other week instead of weekly. Spoiler alert: 30 of 34 patients did. Read more about the study here and what that may mean as pharmaceutical companies roll out oral GLP-1s.
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